Sandwich shop owner appointed to Scotts Valley Council

As Greg Wimp, the owner of multiple area Togo’s sandwich shop locations, stepped up Oct. 1 to address Scotts Valley City Council about why he should fill the seat left vacant by the sudden resignation of the prior vice mayor, Allan Timms, he proceeded in an understated, but sure-of-himself, tone.

He outlined his frugal approach to life (scrimping with his partner until they had enough money to buy a home in the community), his more than two decades in the technology business (including serving as chief operating officer at Evans Data Corp.) and his numerous awards (United Way Community Volunteer of the Year, Rotary Paul Harris Fellow and Scotts Valley Man of the Year, among them).

“That’s enough about me,” concluded Wimp, who’s been a frequent presence at scores of local events in recent years as a vendor or volunteer. “Alright.”

He was up against what Council members acknowledged was quite the tough applicant field—nine had applied, but one of those was disqualified for living outside the city’s boundaries.

Several people rose to the podium to share that Wimp is the sort of person who offers to help with community functions and “shows up.”

In terms of who had the biggest entourage of supporters speaking during public comment, Michael Zeller seemed Wimp’s most formidable opponent.

The director of programming and project delivery for the Transportation Agency of Monterey County had pitched himself as the sort of person who can successfully pitch multimillion-dollar sales tax initiatives, manage complex budgets and collaborate with regional and state partners.

“I have over 20 years of public service and I’m ready to bring that experience home to Scotts Valley,” Zeller said. “In the coming year, the Council is going to be considering how to advance the Town Center Specific Plan, closing the structural budget deficit gap, advancing affordable housing initiatives, and strengthening infrastructure for flooding, fire and other climate risks.”

Santa Cruz County Latino Affairs District 4 Commissioner Kassandra Flores gave quite an emotional presentation.

“I have seen first-hand how strong Scotts Valley is when we come together,” she said, referring to the CZU Lightning Complex fire and the storms that followed. “I stood side-by-side with neighbors, helping families who have lost so much, connecting them with resources and even providing direct financial assistance—so they could take the first step forward towards rebuilding.”

The nonprofit worker’s voice was shaking. She wiped away a tear.

“I know what it feels like to see trees fall, roads close, and our daily lives disrupted,” she said. “But I also know what it feels like to win the heart of this community, neighbors showing up for one another—no matter the challenge. That is what makes Scotts Valley so special.”

Orenda Randuch, a State Parks volunteer and Sempervirens Fund stewardship ambassador with several years of finance sector experience, said she was interested in seeing that environmental concerns, diversity, police and firefighter perspectives were represented in the race.

“Public speaking is not my favorite thing,” said the conservation photographer and mother of two school-aged children. “I just wanted to make sure that there would be candidates who would check those boxes.”

Ten-plus-year Scotts Valley resident Alex Titus, a meteorologist and bagpiper who works on monetization for Microsoft, said he has plenty of experience “aligning senior executives on multibillion-dollar projects with competing priorities.”

“I know how to build consensus and keep projects on track—exactly what’s needed to move city government forward and address housing developers with community-focused solutions,” he said. “I know how to fund priorities responsibly, looking at levers to reduce the General Fund deficit—without overburdening residents.”

His weather background would be a big plus when it comes to preparing for wildfires, flooding and other severe weather.

“Imagine a Scotts Valley where the Town Center is buzzing with families, where kids can bike safely to school, and where we’re ready for the next CZU-type wildfire or tornado—not scrambling to understand after the fact,” he said. “That’s the future I want to help build.”

He added he supports “local control of housing” that’s “measured, affordable and aligned with our community’s character.” And he said he’d “fight State overreach,” specifically calling out AB1893, which strengthened the Builder’s Remedy law that has forced new housing into many communities across the state that have been slow to build new homes.

Chuck Maffia, a longtime bank manager, had a unique pitch. Speaking remotely after having surgery on his left foot a couple days prior (“My toes are above my nose,” he said), the Planning Commission vice chair said he’d be the perfect person to fill the Council slot so that none of the municipal politics newbies would have an incumbent advantage during next year’s election.

“I offer myself as a stand-in—only to finish the term that is available,” he said. “I’ve been on Planning Commission for six-plus years. I think I have a pretty good understanding of our challenges with the Housing Element.”

John Lewis said he threw his name into the ring because he was worried there might not be enough people who would want to contest for the role. He highlighted his “pro-housing” stance for the Council.

“After sitting here and hearing everybody give their address and speak their piece, I’m absolutely saddened by the difficult decision you have to make,” said Lewis, one of Square’s first 500 employees. “There’s a lot of people here tonight who really care.”

Garnett Lee Jaeger, a retired realtor and loan officer, did not speak during the meeting.

In the end, after ranking their top three choices, Wimp was declared the unanimous winner. It was a tight race, said Mayor Derek Timm, declining to say how the other candidates did.